Gathering and Feasting at God’s Table
“Come and join in God's great feast!
Rev 19:17 CEV
When the new nation of Israel was being formed, God created holy days or holidays into Israel’s calendar and regular rhythm of life. Three annual pilgrimage feasts were established as national holidays for Israel to corporately gather and collectively remember who God is and what he had done in their lives. Remembering Him helped them to also remember who they were: God’s chosen people. (Leviticus 23:2)
The word “gather” means to come together. It is a verb that requires intentional action. “Gather” is also a recurring theme found over 250 times in the Bible. God puts a priority on gathering and he expects us to do the same. Here are just a few gathering examples found throughout scripture:
God gathered waters he called “seas.” (Genesis 1:10)
farmers gathered their crops at harvest (Exodus 23:16)
Israel gathered stones to celebrate God’s miraculous deliverances (Joshua 4:7)
Ruth gathered gleanings in Boaz’s field (Ruth 2:7)
Kings gathered armies (2 Samuel 2:30)
Shepherds gathered sheep (Genesis 29:3)
God gathered Israel’s remnant after the 70-year Babylonian exile. (Psalm 106:47)
The disciples gathered twelve baskets of broken pieces after Jesus fed the 5000 (John 6:12)
God will one day gather the nations (Isaiah 66:18)
Gathering and feasting have been my two sacred echoes over the last few days as I joined women from Rainbow City Presbyterian Church for their annual retreat at Shocco Springs. Together we studied Exodus 13-15 using The Red Sea Rules by Robert J. Morgan. I’ve taught principles from this little book dozens of times over twenty years, but I’ve literally lived them during the last two years.Morgan’s book develops ten God-given strategies for dealing with adversity and suffering, all of them gleaned from Exodus 13-15. Each strategy is called a "rule" and each one progressively builds on the rules that precede it. And though each rule is important, Red Sea Rule #1 is essential: God knows where I am, and He means for me to be here.
In the moments immediately following the phone call informing me of James Bruce’s death, my first thought was: “God knows where I am and He means for me to be here.” That same principle anchored me last year when I received my breast cancer diagnosis and Bruce needed open heart surgery.
Red Sea Rule #1 isn’t simply a nice man-made strategy gleaned from Exodus 14 for how to handle a crisis. At its core, it’s a reminder of God’s sovereignty. God reigns and rules over ALL things or He rules over nothing. James Bruce’s death, my cancer diagnosis, and Bruce’s heart surgery all took us by surprise, but none of it took God by surprise. Charles Spurgeon wisely said, “When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.”
Most of the time, we can’t understand what God is doing or how he could ever use this suffering for our good, much less for His glory. That was certainly true in our special needs parenting journey with James Bruce. But all of my speaking, teaching, and writing has come out of the prayer that my sweet husband challenged me to pray when James Bruce was five years old. It seemed an impossible prayer – “God, use James Bruce for your glory.” Through the years, God has abundantly answered that prayer in both James Bruce’s life and death.
There were lots of tears at the RPC women’s retreat, but there was also a lot of laughter and feasting. We didn’t just feast on God’s Word, but we also feasted on rich food, great fellowship, and life-giving community. One volunteer created stunning charcuterie masterpieces. We feasted around tables filled with an abundance of cheeses and chocolates. We also feasted around a blazing fireplace with s’mores.
I came home Saturday afternoon, but my gathering and feasting sacred echo continued Sunday morning when I opened my Briarwood worship bulletin and we sang Sandra McCracken’s song, We Will Feast in the House of Zion:
We will feast in the house of Zion
We will sing with our hearts restored
He has done great things, we will say together
We will feast and weep no more
McCracken’s lyrics point us to God’s promised great feast, the wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9). On that day, God’s people will be gathered, death will be forever destroyed, our tears will be wiped away and we will sing the song of salvation:
“Surely this is our God; we trusted in him and he saved us…Let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
Isaiah 25:9
God’s people, gathering and feasting, together at God’s table. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!